Slater Signs & Ring Around The Blogosphere
Jimmy Slater is officially back into the Thrashers fold. Wednesday, the 30th overall pick of the 2002 NHL draft accepted the team’s offer and will remain in Thrasherville, albeit for a yet-to-be-disclosed time and amount. Slates posted up 8 goals and 10 assists during 60 games played last season…two goals being of the short-handed variety. He has a total of 31 goals and 39 assists in 274 regular season games in a Thrashers’ uniform.
Ring Around The Blogosphere
OK kids, time once again to take a quick loop around the Thrashers’ blogosphere to see what some of the others are yammerin’ about.
First stop takes us to Big Shooter of the The Blueland Chronicle. Seems he had an issue with this piece by The Sporting News Rory Boylen and his opinion that the Thrashers are putting Ilya Kovalchuk above the team. For that matter, Ben Wright of the Blueland Blog seemed to scratch his head over the Boylen post as well.
Hmmm…given that Kovy is the player that “the team” is being built around…all this really shouldn’t be such a big deal…right?
Anyway…Big Shooter called on his readers to e-mail Rory and give him what for! Seems like it worked too ‘cuz Boylen popped in and shot back at him. It was an all-out blogosphere smack down I tell ya!
Regardless, I do give Rory some props for taking the time to respond.
From there…we now go to the Kiwi Wars that has erupted between the Thrashers of the NHL and SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL. As Aaron of the Blueland Outsider illustrates, it seems as though our Russian friends have taken issue with the fact that Joel Kwiatkowski has opted to sign with Atlanta.
My official response to the whining that emanates from overseas…”whatev”.
Here is a blog that my friends at the Blueland Chronicle turned me on to recently. It’ call A Yankee Whistles In Dixie and belongs to local sports writer John Manasso. In this piece are his thoughts regarding the acquisition of Pavel Kubina.
Then there is this from A2B of Just Straight Random who is greatful that Don Waddell did not cough up the amount of lettuce that Ottawa did to sign Kovalev.
And now… it’s on to the Bird Watchers Anonymous’ Falconer who calls upon fans in Thrasherville to “rejoice” at the fact that long-time Kari-killer and nemesis of the Thrashers Antero Nittymaki has chosen to head in the opposite than that of Kwiatkowski and play IN the KHL.
Bon Voyage indeed, Falconer. I will gladly volunteer to drive the man to the airport and see him off…and then lobby to have his passport revoked.
And Finally…Sean Grace…er, Garguilo…no…Grace…or is it…Gar…dammit! SEAN of the Blueland Roar seems to be very exited about The Next Wave Of Thrash. And I can’t say that I blame him for his optimism regarding our Thrashers!
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66 comments Add your comment
R. Stroz
July 9th, 2009
5:48 pm
Russ – You forgot Cindy’s crotch grabing and punching.
Bettman is slowly turning the NHL into the NBA.
World Be Free
July 9th, 2009
7:09 pm
Sara-I agree that it is unlikely we that we will get more UFA signings, that’s pretty clear. I advocate for what the club should do ensure we have NHL depth for the season.
We can point to Marty Reasoner as an example of someone who came to Atlanta on a one year deal to play his way into a contract and the Thrashers rewarded him. Maybe we can get lucky again this year and get a Stephane Yelle-type player to contribute here and there.
I advocate for NHL depth, not AHL depth. Maybe there’s another Marty out there that can help us this year. If not, then we stuck with guys like Jimmy, which are not an improvement over last year. We’ve seen the best of Jimmy.
Tony C.
July 9th, 2009
7:12 pm
i WOULD SAY LET’S TAKE A LOOK @ mOEN, BUT YOU KNOW HE’S GOING TO GOTO t-dOT AND SIGN WITH BURKE.
Glovesave29
July 9th, 2009
7:14 pm
The Rangers signed Kotalik – 3 years / $9M. Guess Tanguay and Seidenberg are the only players out there of note. Supposedly Tanguay wants $3.5 to $4, which is steep for a guy who numbers have dropped off. I’d love to se us put an incentive laden offer out there in the $2 to $2.5 base range. Can’t hurt, that’s for sure…
rightshot
July 9th, 2009
7:28 pm
BUDZILLA – I agree with R STROZ, I definatly liked looking at A….. but there are a couple the new girls that look cute too.
World Be Free
July 9th, 2009
8:27 pm
Glovesave-in Buffalo, we used to call him “Alice Kolatik”.
A big guy that doesn’t use his size. He’s great in shoot outs, but fails to show up every night. Rangers’ fans will be booing him by Christmas.
ranallo10 (in AT)
July 9th, 2009
8:35 pm
WBF — Is Chris Drury the only departed Sabre that Buffalo fans actually liked?
Brendan
July 9th, 2009
9:16 pm
Tony C., thanks for the scoop from your Philly source. And you, too, World Be Free, on Biron. I thought, wrongly, that Niittymaki was biding his time ’til the #1 started job was his. But, I’ll say this. If the guy’s not happy in Philly, then he’s NOT happy. And personal happiness is important. I’m seeing simultaneous reporting of a contract in Europe and a rumor with Tampa happening, vis-a-vis Niittmaki.
Ranallo, thanks for the link to the Tallon interview. I can’t wait to hear the NHLPA rebuttal.
World Be Free
July 9th, 2009
9:21 pm
Ranallo-Sabres fans like Drury, Briere, McKee, Grier, Campbell, Biron, the list goes on. It actually all started with Rick Dudley.
Tough to go from a Conference Final team to being out of the playoffs, all because you have cheap ownership. Atlanta is not alone.
Kinda like losing 4 Super Bowls.
Brendan-I swear the best thing about Biron is his interviews. He’s a blast.
Brendan
July 9th, 2009
9:25 pm
Russ, what the heck, let’s make an offer on Cam Barket anyway? We’ll just argue, “We don’t recognize Barker’s contract as valid,” and as such, think him to be a UFA. Then petition the NHLPA to back us. Unfortunately, I have the sneaking suspicion that the NHL approved those contracts. Remember, a contract isn’t a contract until the NHL says so. How does one get the NHL to “unbless” a contract? I’m kidding. That’s a joke.
Brendan
July 9th, 2009
9:27 pm
I’ve never heard a Biron interview. I’ll keep an eye out for it on Center Ice next year.
kracker
July 9th, 2009
10:15 pm
I strongly suspect that all the quality 3rd/4th line guys being discussed were contacted about playing here. It’s not like all DW has to do is make a call, fax a contract and the deal is done. The quality 3rd/4th line guys have to want to play for the Thrashers for the amount & duration being offered to them, assuming they expressed enough interest to even get an offer.
They didn’t come so we have Thors and Slates being re-signed.
Rawhide
July 9th, 2009
11:03 pm
OK…I just flew in from Miami…and boy are my arms tired…
Anywhooo…Hockeybuzz’s Cap Central site is showing that Slater’s contract is a 1-year $840,000 deal. That puts the Thrashers’ total cap hit at about $42.3 million.
However, this does not yet include Kari’s new contract numbers as well as Valabik’s, Armstrong’s or Thorburn’s. Once those numbers are added, the total cap hit could be somewhere around $49 mil…if I’m figuring correctly.
World Be Free
July 10th, 2009
6:02 am
Let’s hope so Kracker
kracker
July 10th, 2009
9:01 am
Yeah, WBF, you have to figure they at least consider any FA (or possible trade) they think might agree to play for the Thrashers. Feel out the agent to see if lower line/PK slot interests the guy. Make offers to the interested players (which may be no more than a bargaining tool for the agent to take to another team.) And being honest, probably the offers weren’t all that attractive to the FAs. What it takes (took) to re-sign Slater and Thorburn was a known amount so I don’t expect mgmt. would go wildly over that figure when servicable guys are already wanting to do the job.
Perhaps in coming years the building will be consistently fuller with fans buying tix that are not discounted to the current degree. More paying fans = more $$$ to hopefully acquire and keep better players in all positions.
ranallo10 (in AT)
July 10th, 2009
10:48 am
2010 UFAs, per NHLNumbers.com.
Obviously many of these players will be re-signed before hitting the Free Agent market, but next offseason could be another very solid UFA class.